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When I was preparing to move to Houston nearly a year ago, I heard a lot of apologies from people.
"Houston?" they would say, incredulously. "Wow. I'm sorry. Sounds like you'll be eating a lot of Tex-Mex and steak and nothing else."
I'll be the first to admit that I was concerned. I grew up in Corpus Christi, but I knew little about this northern region of the Gulf Coast and its culinary complexion. I was worried that the food here would be boring and fail to engage me in a way that would make me want to write about it. Sure, I'd heard Houston was a diverse city culturally. But then, I'd also heard that, food-wise, it was a bit of a beefy wasteland.
Want to see more of this year's 100 Favorite Dishes? Check out our slideshow, "100 Favorite Dishes in Houston 2014: The List in Photos."
Now, I'll also be the first to admit that I was wrong about Houston. So were the naysayers who warned me about the city. We were all dead wrong.
It was the incredible food scene here in Houston that won me over almost immediately. Some of my first few meals here were had at H-Mart, La Mexicana, Eastside Farmer's Market and Tony's, which display the astounding culinary diversity this city has to offer. According to reports out of Rice University, Houston is the most ethnically diverse city in the country, surpassing even New York and Los Angeles. Because of this multiculturalism, Houston's food scene is one big melting pot of greatness. Name a cuisine, and we've got it.
When people ask me how I'm liking Houston almost a year in, I have a hard time expressing how pleasantly surprised I've been by my immediate love for this city. Yes, the potholes are a problem, and I'm still not over my intense hatred of valet parking or my confusion at the way the weather changes so rapidly that it seems like the work of the X-Men. But the food and the profoundly kind and interesting people in the local restaurant industry, more than anything, have made me feel more at home here than anywhere I've lived before.
I came to Houston to learn about and write about the rapidly evolving culinary scene. Every day I learn something new, and every day my taste buds are delighted by a dish or two that I'm beyond pleased to have discovered. I could go on and on about the various reasons I've fallen so hard for this city, but I'm a food writer. I think my love story is best told through the dishes I've enjoyed since embarking on this journey.
So here, Houston: This is my love letter to you. Cheers.
Want to see more of this year's 100 Favorite Dishes? Check out our slideshow, "100 Favorite Dishes in Houston 2014: The List in Photos."
No. 100, Bangkok Fries at Boheme
307 Fairview, 713-529-1099, barboheme.com
At Boheme, the crispy shoestring fries are topped with sweet, crunchy charbroiled pork, a bit of vinegary hoisin sauce, homemade yellow curry mayo, cilantro and crushed sesame rods. Oh, and Sriracha. Lots of Sriracha.
No. 99, Almond Croissant at Phoenicia
1001 Austin, 832-360-2222, phoeniciafoods.com/locations/downtown-market
The almond croissant at Phoenicia has the same rich, buttery flavor as a plain croissant, but with an added sweet nuttiness. It's cooked perfectly: crispy at the ends and on the outermost layer of dough and fluffy on the inside. The croissant is topped with toasted almonds and powdered sugar for an incredible crunchy crust.
No. 98, Bulgogi Tacos with Kimchi at Chi'Lantro
Food truck, chilantrobbq.com
Kimchi adds a unique bite to the already slightly spicy, slightly sweet beef in the bulgogi tacos from Chi'Lantro, making the taco crisp and refreshing. Kimchi is my ideal summer food, but it's not really a meal on its own. Pair it with some beef and corn tortillas, though, and you've got yourself one heck of a tasty dinner.
No. 97, Soft Pretzel at Mongoose Versus Cobra
1011 McGowen, 713-650-6872, mongooseversuscobra.com
The salt-covered pretzels are made by Slow Dough Bread Co., then warmed at the bar and given a generous brushing of melted butter before being brought out on a big silver tray. They're served with Revival Market's insanely good mustard and spicy pickles made in-house at Mongoose.
No. 96, Chicken and Waffles at Adair Kitchen
5161 San Felipe, 713-623-6100, adairkitchen.com
The huge Belgian waffle is crisp and golden brown on the outside and light and airy on the inside. It has deep squares that hold a generous amount of syrup and catch little bits of batter that fall off the chicken. The batter is crunchy and peppery with just the right amount of salt and heat to complement the sweetness of the syrup.
No. 95, Sweet Potato Gnocchi at Brooklyn Athletic Club
601 Richmond, 713-527-4440, thebrooklynathleticclub.com
This dish is wonderful not just because it features sweet potatoes so prominently in an almost pudding-like gnocchi, but also because the flavor combination of the potatoes, cream, apples, sage and mushrooms is so unexpected — and so divine.
No. 94, Foie Gras Mac and Cheese at BRC Gastropub
519 Shepherd, 713-861-2233, brcgastropub.com
BRC's best macaroni and cheese is served in a hot cast-iron skillet and topped with bread crumbs, more melted cheese, green onions and three oyster-size ovals of decadent seared duck foie gras whose flavor is present in the form of a velvety, meaty enhancement to the nutty and buttery raclette.
No. 93, Vuelve la Vida Soup at Connie's Seafood
2525 Airline, 713-868-2144, conniesseafood.com
It's as if the chefs at Connie's managed to scoop up a giant bowl of Gulf Coast water (critters and all), boil it with some vegetables, add some seasoning and dish it out to hungry diners. There's tender purple crab; flaky white fish; plump, juicy oysters; and tiny curled shrimp, all of which swirl around a white skinless potato in the middle of the bowl.
No. 92, Homeroom Burger at Bernie's Burger Bus
Food truck, berniesburgerbus.com
The Homeroom is a juicy, medium-rare, inch-high masterpiece of fresh-ground Black Angus beef topped with apple wood-smoked bacon, Cheddar, "tipsy onions," chipotle aioli and a fried egg, all sandwiched between freshly baked fluffy buns.
No. 91, Lobster Cake Benedict at Sorrel Urban Bistro
2202 West Alabama, 713-677-0391, sorrelhouston.com
Sorrel's lobster cake is assembled like a crab cake, but unlike the soggy, overly bready crab cakes that some restaurants trot out proudly, Sorrel's lobster cake employs a lot of lobster. Big hunks of meat give the cake a buttery lobster flavor, while bits of pepper and onion add complexity to the smooth cake. This is served on top of a slice of toasted, slightly sweet brioche and finished with a poached egg that's firm on the outside but golden yellow and liquid on the inside.
No. 90, Uncle Daryl's Cake at the Chocolate Bar
2521 University, 713-520-8888, theoriginalchocolatebar.com
Before this cake, already iced in a decadent buttercream and topped with ganache, is handed over, it's drizzled with extra chocolate ganache and sprinkled with toffee chips. All four layers of cake are moist and rich, with a deep chocolatey flavor.
No. 89, Porcetta e Fagioli at Giacomo's Cibo e Vino
3215 Westheimer, 713-522-1934, giacomosciboevino.com
At Giacomo's, the pork butt is stewed in a mixture of tomatoes, garlic and cannellini beans for as long as six hours so that all the herbs and spices mingle together in glorious harmony. Every couple of bites, there might be a standout flavor — a pop of sage, a slow burn of garlic, a bright tomato.
No. 88, Sesame Soft Balls at Golden Dim Sum
10600 Bellaire, 281-495-1688
The outside of this dessert is soft, chewy and doughy, but the inside is filled with ground black sesame seeds and sugar that together look like black sand from a volcanic beach. The sweet sesame is almost like halawa, but the granulated sugar gives it a different texture and a shock of sweet.
No. 87, Crab Daddy Bao at Fat Bao
3419 Kirby, 713-667-0341, fatbaohouston.com
One reason the Crab Daddy is so stellar is that the individual ingredients can be easy to mess up. The bao, for instance, can turn gummy when steamed too long, but this one held up to the heft of an entire (albeit small) crustacean. Soft-shell crab can turn chewy or tough, but this little guy was perfectly crispy with a still-intact seafood flavor even after being deep-fried.
No. 86, Ham, Egg and Cheese Crepe at Melange Creperie
403 Westheimer, 832-724-9464, melangecreperie.wordpress.com
At Melange, they have crepes down to an art form. Like masters of origami, they fold everything from ham to Nutella to palak paneer into a paper-thin envelope to create meals that are positively magnifique, but the best is the simple ham, egg and cheese.
No. 85, Pork Tamales at Irma's
22 North Chenevert, 713-222-0767, irmasoriginal.com
Menu changes regularly.
There are two things I look for when I judge tamales, and the slightly spicy pork tamales at Irma's have both of them: a good meat-to-masa ratio, and masa that has not been dried out by oversteaming. These are soft and moist (but certainly not runny), and every bite features just the right amount of meat to enhance the flavor of the corn-based masa.
No. 84, Greek Burger at Hubcap Grill
1111 Prairie, 713-223-5885, hubcapgrill.com
The toppings — feta cheese, kalamata olives, onions, green bell peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and extra special mayo — are what makes the Greek Burger special, but Hubcap's lauded patty is what makes this meal one of my favorites. It's made of never-frozen beef, and it's hand-formed, which is immediately evident from the gloriously crunchy little wads of beef that don't quite adhere to the circular shape of the rest of the burger.
No. 83, Lobster Roll at Maine-ly Sandwiches
3310 South Shepherd, 713-942-2150, mainelysandwiches.com
The lobster in Maine-ly's rolls is carefully picked out of the claw; chopped into small pieces; and tossed with a simple mixture of mayonnaise, lemon juice, black pepper and salt. It's the right amount of dressing to hold the chunks of lobster together, but not so much that any other flavor overwhelms the delicate brininess of the meat.
No. 82, Grilled Ahi Tuna at St. John's Fire
Food truck, 713-502-1188, stjohnsfire.net
Menu changes regularly.
First there's the bed of savory bread pudding upon which the tuna steak rests. It's fluffy and eggy and provides just the right amount of mushy starch to counter the other crunchy and spicy elements of the dish. Tiny fried crawfish tails with a kick of heat surround the tuna, and when you gather both sea creatures in one bite, it's a perfect balance of substantial tuna and sweet crawfish. Then there's just a handful of wilted spinach (you know, to make it seem healthier and provide color contrast) and a delightful creamy mustard sauce drizzled over the whole thing.
No. 81, Katfish and Grits at The Breakfast Klub
3711 Travis, 713-528-8561, thebreakfastklub.com
The catfish and grits breakfast at The Breakfast Klub is a big ol' piece of battered and fried catfish, two eggs cooked however you want, a biscuit or toast, and a delectable mound of perfect grits with a little pool of yellow butter in the center. It's the ideal combination of seafood and carbs for breakfast.
No. 80, The Marie Laveau Sandwich at Sandy Witch
1010 Banks, 832-660-3038, sandywitch.com
The Marie Laveau features tender and juicy Dr Pepper-braised short rib with just a hint of herbal sweetness from the soda, stewed collard greens and house-made honey mustard with a kick. That's all served on a Kraftsmen challah bun sprinkled with crispy shallot strings that can get quite messy from all the saucy stuff inside.
No. 79, Carnissima Pizza at Coppa Osteria
5210 Morningside, 713-522-3535, coppaosteriahouston.com
This wood-fired pizza is topped with crumbled Italian sausage, prosciutto, cured coppa, salumi toscano and pepperoni. Each meat originates on a pig, but they are all cured and prepared differently (and from different cuts) to create a diversity of pork flavors all on one delectable round package. The final product is drizzled with a Parmesan cream sauce and a bit of scamorza.
No. 78, Mortadella Sandwich at 13 Celsius
3000 Caroline, 713-529-8466, 13celsius.com
It's a deceptively simple sandwich, but the bright pop of acidic mustard and the little bits of creamy fat in the thinly sliced mortadella add new dimensions to what's arguably a glorified meat, cheese and tomato sandwich. When that golden yolk breaks and oozes all over the rest of the sandwich, the ensuing flavor combination — meaty and buttery, salty and tart — is a thing of beauty.
No. 77, Lamb Lollipops at Américas
2040 West Gray, 832-200-1492, cordua.com/americas
At Américas, they get lamb just right. The marinade helps keep it juicy and tender while adding an extra dimension to a meat that can often be gamy. It's grilled so that it's nice and charred on the outside, but still soft and pink in the center.
No. 76, The Heights Burger at Gratifi
302 Fairview, 832-203-5950, gratifikitchenandbar.com
Unlike many meat-free burgers that use fillers like bread crumbs and weird, science-project pseudo-meat, Gratifi's black bean patty is just that: black beans. In addition to being substantial, the burger is also delicious, thanks to the addition of salsa to the patty and the thick slice of pepper Jack melted ontop.
No. 75, "Date With a Pig" at Sparrow Bar + Cookshop
3701 Travis, 713-524-6922, sparrowhouston.com
The "Date With a Pig" is served by the single date on the bar menu, and it's drizzled with homemade north African chermoula. The date is slightly sweet, the chorizo it's stuffed with is creamy and slightly spicy, the bacon wrapped around the whole thing is fatty and crisp, and the drizzle of chermoula adds a hint of cumin and garlic to the mix.
No. 74, Taco al Pastor at Taco Keto
1401 Cullen, 713-224-1898
For only $1.50, you get a single taco filled with cheese and chunks of sliced pork that appear to have been pan-fried to achieve a crisp on the outside of the corn tortilla, along with papas sautéed with cumin and chile and blackened around the edges, caramelized onions, fresh cilantro, half a lemon, and a generous helping of green tomatillo and jalapeño salsa on top.
No. 73, Chili Cheese Mac from Jus' Mac
2617 Yale, 713-622-8646, jusmac.com
Chewy macaroni is doused in a cheese sauce that comes from an 80-year-old family recipe, then this creamy combo is topped with a layer of homemade chili that's rich and hearty enough to stand on its own without the added mac and cheese. Corn chips scattered on top provide a nice crunch.
No. 72, Chicken Pot Pie at Kenny & Ziggy's
2327 Post Oak, 713-871-8883, kennyandziggys.com
Available seasonally.
Kenny & Ziggy's does pot pie by stewing a hearty mixture of lean cubed chicken, celery, onion and carrot in a thick, meaty broth, then topping the whole thing with a buttery, flaky puff pastry hat. It's not too salty, as many pot pies and stews can be, nor is it too glutinous from flour added to the broth to thicken it. The meat is tender and flavorful.
No. 71, Lazy Lane Frites at Brasserie 19
1962 West Gray, 713-524-1919, brasserie19.com
The Lazy Lane frites are served in a big bowl — bigger than I anticipated for an appetizer — of slightly curly, dark orangey-brown fries tossed in sauce au poivre, grated Parmesan, truffle oil and chives. Then the mound of frites is topped with a generous portion of seared foie gras.
No. 70, Banana Split at Cloud 10 Creamery
5216 Morningside, 713-434-6129, cloud10creamery.com
It's three scoops of different ice cream — chocolate, vanilla and Nutella with marshmallows — and three types of sauce — a dark-maroon berry jam, a milk chocolate shell and rich fudge. The banana slices are sprinkled with a little sugar and then caramelized with a torch before being added to the ice cream, along with candied pecans, whipped cream and impossibly cool Nutella powder.
No. 69, A Dozen Raw Oysters at Pappas Seafood House
3001 South Shepherd, 713-522-4595, pappasseafood.com/location/?id=103
Unless you're eating appellation oysters, most gulf oysters taste pretty much the same. The oysters at Pappas are some of the best, though, because they're incredibly fresh, incredibly large and incredibly inexpensive. They're served with three different sauces, too, and though I'm usually an oyster purist, I find the mignonette sauce of red wine vinegar and shallots quite refreshing.
No. 68, Green Hurry Curry at Nit Noi
2020 Louisiana, 713-652-5855, nitnoithai.com
I suppose everyone does Thai curry a little differently, but I wasn't expecting the hearty chunks of potatoes; the soft roasted tomatoes; or the sweet, acidic pineapple slices in Nit Noi's excellent green curry.
No. 67, Bad-Ass Hambur-Torta at Pistolero's
1517 Westheimer, 281-974-3860, pistoleroshouston.com
This is like burger Jenga — one false move and the whole thing comes tumbling down. The patty is sandwiched between a brioche bun that has been lightly grilled, then smeared with chile aioli. It's topped with sautéed mushrooms, onions and peppers; thick, juicy bacon; a sliced avocado; a fried egg; slices of cheese and liquid orange queso; and, finally, a few chili cumin fries tucked between everything else.
No. 66, Enchiladas de Mole at La Guadalupana
2109 Dunlavy, 713-522-2301
I'm a sucker for mole in general, but the silky-smooth dark mole at La Guadalupana is some of the best you'll find in Houston. The enchiladas, nestled close together underneath the layer of mole, are wonderful on their own — juicy dark and light chicken meat packed inside thin, flavorful corn tortillas. But it's the mole that makes the dish.
No. 65, Shorty Mac at H-Town StrEATs
Food truck
Menu changes regularly.
I don't know how the geniuses over at H-Town StrEATs came up with the idea of stuffing a grilled cheese sandwich (already a wonderful item) with macaroni and cheese (even better) and pulled braised short ribs (best). The grilled cheese sandwich is lightly buttered before it's grilled, so it tastes like the grilled cheese of your childhood. The macaroni and cheese is oozy and gooey and cheesy without being gummy or soggy. The short rib is juicy and flavorful and worth eating all on its own.
No. 64, Squirrel Master Burger at Cottonwood
3422 North Shepherd, 713-802-0410, cottonwoodhouston.com
In order to make an excellent burger, you must first start with great meat, and chef Daniel Ajtai succeeds in this endeavor with his 100 percent Angus beef patties hand-formed and cooked to order. They're stuffed with poblano peppers and topped off with smoky bacon and pepper Jack cheese plus a fried egg.
No. 63, Bánh Mì at Les Givral's Sandwich & Cafe
2704 Milam, 713-529-1736
To make a great bánh mì, a restaurant must have great bread, and Les Givral's certainly does. It has a thin, crispy crust and a soft inside that soaks up the juice from the meat, cucumber and sauces. Les Givral's offers about a dozen different protein options on the bánh mì, which is why this favorite dish is described simply as bánh mì. I can't pick just one favorite. They're all great.
No. 62, Korean Spiced Brisket Plate at Revival Market
550 Heights, 713-880-8463, revivalmarket.com
Start with the fresh, ever-so-light-green Napa cabbage leaves. Spread a little of the house-made gochujang on the leaves. Next slap a slice of that utterly divine, melt-in-your-mouth, knock-your-socks-off brisket on top of the gochujang, followed by some kimchi, and, finally, the marinated bean sprouts and peppers.
No. 61, Old Fashioned Frito Pie at Armadillo Palace
5015 Kirby, 713-526-9700, goodecompany.com/palace.asp
The venison chili at Armadillo Palace is marvelous on its own. The juicy chunks of venison are slightly sweet and gamy, and they're tempered by the dark reddish-brown chili base loaded with cumin and chili powder. It's thick enough that it doesn't cause the Fritos to get soggy immediately, as some lesser chilis do. And those salty, crunchy chips are the ideal complement to the smooth, soothing chunks of venison bathed in velvety spices.
No. 60, Patata e Funghi Pizza at Pizaro's
14028 Memorial, 281-589-7277, pizarospizza.com
The Neapolitan-style pizza is topped with truffle oil, Yukon gold potatoes, oven-roasted mushrooms, mozzarella, rosemary and garlic. It's a smooth, mellow pie with dusky truffle and mushroom flavors accented by the earthy potatoes.
No. 59, Baklava French Toast at Harry's Restaurant & Cafe
318 Tuam, 713-528-0198, harrysrestaurantcafe.com
If French toast and baklava had a precious love child, this would be it. It's two thick slices of French toast sandwiched around baklava filling — a mixture of walnuts, cinnamon and honey. It's topped with yogurt ice cream with just a hint of orange and honey flavor to add some moistness to the dish without making it so sweet as to turn it into a dessert.
No. 58, Grilled Cheese at The Golden Grill
Food truck, goldengrillhtx.com
Note that there's no specific grilled cheese singled out here. That's because they're all amazing. Try the Hamlin, a simple sandwich of prosciutto, American cheese and jalapeño jam, or the carnitas, with shredded roasted pork, apple jam, Monterey Jack cheese and pickles to ease into the food, then go all out with Green Eggs & Jam, a sweet and savory combo with four of my favorite things: green tomatoes, Gouda, bacon and a fried egg.
No. 57, Macarons at Ganache Dessert Bar
9305 Spring Cypress Road, Suite 101, Spring, 281-257-6550, ganachebar.com
The most wonderful thing about the macarons at Ganache isn't how pretty they are (though that certainly helps). It's how much they taste like what they're supposed to. Often, macarons are redolent of something vague and sweet and crunchy. These macarons really evoke salted caramel, lavender, cafe sua da or green tea.
No. 56, Eggplant Fries at Batanga
908 Congress, 713-224-9500, batangahouston.com
Batanga takes an eggplant, skins it and slices it into logs about three inches long. Next the eggplant is coated in a thin, crispy, light-as-air batter and fried. The eggplant is then drizzled with sweet honey, sprinkled with a bit of cumin and topped with bright-green strips of chopped mint.
No. 55, Juicy Lucy Burger at Lowbrow
1601 West Main, 281-501-8288, lowbrowhouston.com
The chefs at Lowbrow start with Longhorn beef, form it into patties, stuff the patties full of fontina cheese and give 'em a nice sear. After a few minutes on the grill, the patties are topped with fried shallots and pickled shallots. The fried shallots are crispy and almost sweet and are a more expected burger topping than the pickled shallots, which are reminiscent of pickled onions and give the burger a vinegary bite.
No. 54, Kimchi Koagie at Koagie Hots
Food truck, koagiehots.com
In the midst of my love affair with Koagie Hots's kimchi fries, I discovered the kimchi koagie and fell in love anew. It's fairly similar to the fries, only with marinated rib eye instead of potatoes, and either provolone or Cheez Whiz instead of crumbled feta. It's the combination of rib eye, kimchi and Sriracha mayo all encompassed in a Slow Dough bun that makes this one of the best sandwiches in town.
No 53, Bánh Canh Hue at Simply Pho
2929 Milam, Suite C, 713-677-0501, simply-pho.com/wordpress
I'd never heard of bánh canh hue before I ate at Simply Pho for the first time, and I'd definitely never had anything like its slimy noodles at any other restaurant. As the noodles soak, they take on the flavor of the liquid around them, which itself tastes like a milder version of the little cubes of shrimp floating in it. The dish comes with bean sprouts; lush, leafy basil; jalapeños; bird's eye chiles; and lime wedges for a build-your-own soup experience.
No. 52, Fried Bananas Foster at Custom Confections
Food truck, customconfectionstx.com
Rather than being pan-fried, the bananas are coated in homemade funnel-cake batter and deep-fried. That's topped with a homemade butter, cinnamon and rum syrup; a few scoops of vanilla bean ice cream; and some whipped cream.
No. 51, Red Dragon Roll at Michiru Sushi
3800 Southwest Freeway, Suite 104, 832-203-7082, michirusushi.com
This dish is arranged with carefully sliced lemon and radish garnishes to resemble a Chinese dragon (the lemon being the head and the roll the twisting body). The inside of the roll contains spicy tuna and that ubiquitous crunch, and the outside is draped in thin avocado slices, spicy peppered tuna, a generous sprinkling of more crunch and a smattering of scarlet-red tobiko (flying fish roe).
No. 50, Black Pepper Beer Lobster at Hai Cang Seafood Restaurant
11768 Bellaire, 281-564-4288, haicangrestaurant.net
Every inch of the scarlet lobster shells at Hai Cang gleams with butter and flecks of freshly ground pepper when they arrive at the table. The shells are pre-cracked, so the battle that usually accompanies a lobster dinner is all but eliminated. Frying the lobsters and drizzling them with butter and beer sauce makes the shells somewhat greasy, but the meat contained inside is fresh and plump.
No. 49, Custard Sandwich at Petite Sweets
2700 West Alabama, 713-520-7007, petitesweetshouston.com
The custard sandwiches at Petite Sweets are better than the average ice cream sandwich because a) the cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside and b) CUSTARD. The custard center — a swirl of chocolate and vanilla — is so creamy and dreamy, it almost tastes like there's a layer of frozen caramel or whipped cream between the cookie and the frozen filling.
No. 48, El Real Burger at El Real Tex-Mex Cafe
1201 Westheimer, 713-524-1201, elrealtexmex.com
The patty, ground in-house, is cooked to an ideal medium-rare, ensuring that it's juicy and smoky, with a nice, light char on the outside. Beneath it is a layer of refried beans spread on the bun as if it were mayo; curly, crunchy corn chips; and, on top, a mound of cheese, tomatoes, roasted poblano peppers, lettuce and, finally, a spread of chunky avocado.
No. 47, CFC Deviled Eggs at Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar
1050 Studewood, 713-802-0533, libertykitchenoysterbar.com
While Liberty Kitchen's bacon jam leaves the greatest lasting impression from these tantalizing treats, the tiny topping of fried chicken is no throwaway garnish. Each piece is small enough to fit atop a slightly spicy deviled egg, and in spite of being surrounded by the juicy jam and moist deviled egg yolk, the outside stays crunchy, while the meat on the inside is smoky and nearly melt-in-your-mouth.
No. 46, Parma 600 Pizza at Pizzeria Solario
3333 Weslayan, Suite 100, 713-892-8100, pizzeriasolario.com
The Parma 600 features a white garlic crema sauce, which is mild enough to let the other ingredients shine while adding a bit of extra richness and moisture to each slice. The sauce is topped with creamy fior di latte and strong pecorino cheeses and gamey Prosciutto di Parma. Finally, a touch of funky truffle oil and bright arugula is placed on top of the pie after baking.
No. 45, Guanciale Burger at Plonk! Beer & Wine Bistro
1214 W. 43rd, 713-290-1070, plonkbistro.com
This cozy wine bistro offers up the Guanciale Burger, which is essentially a bacon cheeseburger featuring guanciale (unsmoked jowl or cheek meat, most often pork) instead of traditional bacon. At Plonk!, however, rather than topping a ground beef burger with a few slices of the fatty, crispy stuff, the chefs grind that sweet cheek meat right into the patty, then top it with Gruyère and caramelized onions.
No. 44, BBQ Pulled Wild Boar Sandwich at Sammy's Wild Game Grill
3715 Washington, 713-868-1345, sammyswildgamegrill.com
The BBQ pulled wild boar sandwich is exactly what it sounds like, and so much more. Think Kansas City-style pulled pork on a sandwich with a bit of coleslaw and an onion ring, and that's essentially what the wild boar sandwich is, only better, thanks to zesty cilantro cole slaw and crispy fried onion strings.
No. 43, Roasted Duck Red Curry at Morningside Thai
2473 South Braeswood, 713-661-4400, morningsidethai.com
Morningside Thai's red curry is richer, silkier and more dimensional than any I've had elsewhere in Houston. The piquant mixture of herbs, spices and coconut milk is dotted with chunks of chewy pineapple and softened tomatoes and long strands of wilted green basil leaves that sneak up on you with a rush of herbal heat.
No. 42, Fried Oyster Po-Boy at Goode Company Seafood
2621 Westpark, 713-523-7154, goodecompany.com/seafood.asp
The white baguette bread is sliced down the middle and the chewy insides are pressed down a little to allow all the good stuff — lettuce, tomatoes and pico de gallo — to fit on the inside. The oysters are breaded and fried until golden brown, but in spite of the deep oil bath, they remain crunchy on the outside with a gooey oyster interior.
No. 41, Biscuit with Marmalade and Crème Fraîche at Blacksmith
1022 Westheimer, 832-360-7470
Blacksmith's biscuits aren't greasy, and they aren't overly light and flaky. They're like the ideal marriage of biscuit and scone, with just enough heft to make a single one a filling meal. The cool, creamy, slightly sour crème fraîche pairs wonderfully with the warm, buttery biscuit, and the raspberry marmalade adds a touch of sweet and sour to the mix.
No. 40, Canestri alla Funghi at Paulie's
1834 Westheimer, 713-807-7271, pauliesrestaurant.com
In many mushroom and pasta dishes, the fungi and the noodles take on a similar texture, making it difficult to distinguish them when they're all slathered in sauce. At Paulie's, though, the crimini and shiitake mushrooms maintain a chewy bite, and the pasta is cooked to an ideal al dente. There's just the right amount of sauce that has a cream base with a bit offunky-sweet marsala wine, sage and a whole lottagarlic.
No. 39, Mum's Chicken Curry at the Queen Vic Pub & Kitchen
2712 Richmond, 713-533-0022, thequeenvicpub.com
This curry is an ideal blend of a chunky stew and a dynamic Indian dish, heavy on the cumin, coriander and turmeric. The chicken, marinated in a yogurt-and-citrus mix, is stewed until it's tender and falling apart in the pot, slowly taking on the flavors of all the spices surrounding it.
No. 38, Spicy Tamale Plate at La Mexicana
1018 Fairview, 713-521-0963, lamexicanarestaurant.com
The masa-to-filling ratio in these tamales is perfect, with a hefty serving of shredded pork and spices wrapped in a thin envelope of cornmeal, which itself is wonderfully seasoned — a welcome change from tamales whose exterior tastes like ground corn paste and nothing more. The tamale plate comes with seasoned Spanish rice, smoky refried beans, lettuces and fresh pico de gallo.
No. 37, Trompo Tacos at Taqueria La Macro
1822 North Main, 713-226-8226
I daresay Taqueria La Macro makes the best trompo tacos in town. They're tiny — the diameter of each homemade corn tortilla is probably no more than three inches. They come with diced onions and a bit of fresh cilantro and nothing else, which may be surprising to those of us accustomed to Tex-Mex with guac and cheese and pico and anything else wecan fit in a tortilla.
No. 36, Fried Mini Fish at House of Bowls
6650 Corporate, 713-776-2288
The tiny fish at House of Bowls are battered in a garlic-heavy sauce, then deep-fried until both the outside and the fish on the inside are hot and crisp. They're served on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce and cabbage topped with chopped jalapeños and a chile-garlic-ginger sauce.
No. 35, Morning Thali at Pondicheri
2800 Kirby, Suite B 132, 713-522-2022, pondichericafe.com
Pondicheri's take on thali includes four little bowls filled with the chef's choice of side dishes, which will usually include aloo dum, a type of potato curry; upma, a traditional breakfast porridge made from semolina; beef keema, a spicy blend of ground beef with caramelized onions, cumin and chile powder; and the carrot paratha, which is meant to be dipped in everything else on my plate.
No. 34, Chiles de Padrón Asados at Caracol
2200 Post Oak, Suite 160, 713-622-9996, caracol.net
At Caracol, the padrón chiles are sautéed over high heat in a pan with hot oil until they blister and brown. Then they're finished with lime juice and sea salt and served, stems on, in a dark ceramic bowl. The combination of roasted pepper, citrus and salt dances across the tongue.
No. 33, Taleggio Pizza at Dolce Vita
500 Westheimer, 713-520-8222, dolcevitahouston.com
This pizza starts with Dolce Vita's perfect crust — not too thin, not too chewy, with just the right amount of doughy pull when you bite down on it. Then there's a layer of rich, creamy taleggio, a soft, tangy cheese with a strong smell but mild flavor. On top of that are thinly sliced pears and a drizzle of truffle oil. After thepizza is cooked quickly in a Neapolitan-style wood-burning oven, it's topped with asprinkling of fresh arugula.
No. 32, Carnitas at Molina's Cantina
4720 Washington, 713-862-0013, molinasrestaurants.com
Unlike most carnitas, which are usually served shredded inside tacos or burritos, the carnitas plate at Molina's comes with a half dozen or so good-sized cuts of meat, as well as refried beans, Spanish rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, green salsa and fresh tortillas. These carnitas are better than average because the meat is marinated in citrus and spices for several hours.
No. 31, Cochito con Mole Xico at Hugo's
1600 Westheimer, 713-524-7744, hugosrestaurant.net
An impossibly large serving of pork shoulder braised until it's falling apart is topped with thick, ruddy mole xico and served with mashed plantains, black beans, guacamole and asparagus on a bed of slightly sweet collard greens in apasilla pepper and plum sauce.
No. 30, Ice Cream in a Waffle Cone at Fat Cat Creamery
1901 North Shepherd, 713-869-1080, fatcatcreamery.com
The waffle cones at Fat Cat are so good, I'd eat them without any ice cream in them at all. They're called brown butter/brown sugar waffle cones, and they're made fresh every day. These cones are slightly sweet, but the predominant flavor is the brown butter, slightly burned and rich like caramel, and they pair perfectly with Fat Cat's divine chai tea ice cream.
No. 29, Caesar Wedge Salad at Provisions
807 Taft, 713-628-9020, passandprovisions.com
The Caesar wedge at Provisions is served with a steak knife, and you'll need it to cut through the outer layer of bread crumbs and the crisp, bright-green center of the romaine wedge. In the process, the crumb coating will fall off a bit, and the anchovies and preserved lemons that top the wedge will slide onto the plate, and you'll be left with a beautiful, wonderful mess to eat up.
No. 28, Fried Cauliflower at Roost
1972 Fairview, 713-523-7667, iloveroost.com
When it's brought out to the table, all you can see in the low light of the small restaurant is a few florets of cauliflower, slightly browned, and long, tissue-paper-thin miso flakes that dance under the slight breeze of the air conditioner and the steam coming out of the bowl. Dig deeper and you'll find the sauce is made up of miso, mayonnaise, rice wine vinegar and Sriracha. As if that weren't enough, there are strings of sautéed scallions and pine nuts at the bottom of the bowl.
No. 27, Kim Cheese Fries at Coreanos
Food truck, coreanostx.com
The scorching-hot fries are thicker than most fast-food fries, but still thin enough that they're crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. They're topped with caramelized kimchi; twice-cooked pork belly with a kick; cheese; and Coreanos's signature El Scorcho sauce, a creamy drizzle of garlic, chipotle, lime juice and mayo.
No. 26, Spicy Miso Ramen at Soma Sushi
4820 Washington, 713-861-2726, somasushi.com
There's something addictive about the combination of the soothing miso and bit of chile oil that floats on top of Soma's spicy miso ramen in tiny golden puddles. Then there are the perfectly chewy fresh ramen noodles, two types of mushrooms, onions, seaweed, wakame, tofu and pork belly. The two different mushrooms, enoki and shiitake, give the ramen an earthy flavor, while the seaweed adds bitterness and the fatty pork belly, savory meat.
No. 25, Chips and Queso at Fusion Taco
801 Congress, Suite 101, 713-422-2882, fusiontaco.com
Fusion Taco co-owner Julia Sharaby uses Golden Velvet cheese in her queso because it has a great texture, even once it starts firming up, making the taco-truck-turned-restaurant's queso richer than most such dips you find in restaurants. The secret to the richness is cream, along with homemade red salsa and pulverized chipotle peppers.
No. 24, Som Tam at Vieng Thai
6929 Long Point, 713-688-9910
In the som tam at Vieng Thai, all the ingredients — papaya, lime juice, bird's eye chiles, garlic, palm sugar, fish sauce, dried shrimp and peanuts — get pounded together and then tossed by hand, the juice of the pounded ingredients forming a sort of dressing for the salad. It's served cold or at room temperature. It's refreshing in the way cool salsa is refreshing, but packs quite the punch.
No. 23, Fluffernutter Cookies at Fluff Bake Bar
832-374-8340, fluffbakebar.com
(Rebecca Masson's baked goods are served atanumber of locations in Houston.)
The cookies that make up the "bread" of the fluffernutter are a combination of crunchy peanut butter and oatmeal. They achieve the ideal consistency in the oven — crisp and lightly browned on the outside while chewy on the inside. Between the cookies is peanut butter frosting, and in the center is a dollop of that inimitable (genuine) Marshmallow Fluff.
No. 22, Roasted Pear Salad at Backstreet Cafe
1103 South Shepherd, 713-521-2239, backstreetcafe.net
What makes this salad such a standout is the gorgeous (and mouthwatering) poached pear stuffed with nuts, cranberries and blue cheese that serves as the centerpiece of the dish. The pear alone would be quite a dish, but when served in salad form, it's even better.
No. 21, Foie Gras Crème Caramel at Just Dinner on Dunlavy
1915 Dunlavy, 713-807-0077, justdinnerhouston.com
Menu changes regularly.
The crème caramel at Just Dinner has a wonderful caramel flavor, and combined with the rich, almost marrow-like flavor of foie gras, it's incredibly decadent. If that were all the dish was composed of, it might have been too much of a good thing, but fortunately the round of custard is served in a pool of chile oil and chive oil dotted with pickled sweet potatoes, pickled rhubarb and fresh pomegranate seeds.
No. 20, Fried Catfish and Cajun Crawfish at The Cajun Stop
2130 Jefferson, 713-222-8333, thecajunstop.com
The crawfish tail cream sauce really is the pièce de résistance in this dish. It's similar to an étouffée in that it also seems to make use of the holy trinity, a.k.a. onions, celery and bell peppers, as well as similar Cajun spices to get your heart rate up and your forehead perspiring. Unlike with étouffée, there's a heavy dose of cream in this crawfish sauce, making it a little more rich and a little less ruddy than its Cajun cousin.
No. 19, Dahi Puri at Shri Balaji Bhavan
5655 Hillcroft, 713-783-1126
The puri shells are cracked at the top and filled with exotic chutneys and yogurt. Inside each shell is a single chunk of potato that appears to have been cooked in turmeric. On top of that is a bit of spicy green chutney heavy on the cilantro and a spicy red chutney with a slight chile-pepper heat. A mild yogurt fills the shell up to the top, then the whole thing receives a sprinkle of chopped tomatoes, fresh cilantro and crunchy chickpea noodles.
No. 18, Phat Ass Ham Hock at Goro & Gun
306 Main, 832-708-6195, goroandgun.squarespace.com
Goro & Gun's ham hock is served with bao buns and a side of pickled veggies as sort of a DIY bao plate. The combination of everything on the plate packed into a puffy steamed bun is an amazing array of textures and flavors.
No. 17, Alba White Truffle Soufflé at Tony's
3755 Richmond, 713-622-6778, tonyshouston.com
Available seasonally.
The top layer is as light as air and lets out a small whisper when you dig in with a spoon. It's aromatic and earthy, and the many eggs in the dish keep it fluffy in spite of the heavy, funky aroma. It doesn't quite melt in your mouth, but it's reminiscent of the lightness and fluffiness of cotton candy, and the way the soufflé deflates when you bite into it does give you the sense that it's melting onto your tongue.
No. 16, Okra with Crème Fraîche at Oxheart
1302 Nance, 832-830-8592, oxhearthouston.com
No longer available.
It was a crescent of thin, delicate roasted and pickled okra pods arranged on a bed of spiced crème fraîche and dotted with little pearls of smoked black garlic purée, all garnished with a smattering of aromatic Thai holy basil. This okra had a sharp, tart flavor that was instantly soothed by the smoky crème fraîche and once more elevated with the unusual flavor of roasted okra.
No. 15, Kobe Beef at Nara
2800 Kirby, Suite 100, 281-249-5944, narahouston.com
Available occasionally.
This dish isn't available often, since chef Donald Chang has it flown in from Japan for special meals only. If you're lucky enough to get it, though, you'll be entranced by the light sear around the edges and the way the flavor changes ever so subtly thanks to a little heat. Then, moving on to the center of each thin slice of Kobe beef, you'll taste a hint of citrus cutting through the fat of the meat. Finally, a chunk of Korean radish serves as a necessary palate cleanser between the rich portions of beef.
No. 14, Caramelized Pork Spare Ribs at Cafe TH
2108 Pease, 713-225-4766, cafeth.com
Available occasionally.
These pork spare ribs are like candy. They're sticky and sweet and ever so juicy, with just a hint of spice from chile powder in the sauce. The marinade contains plenty of garlic, and on top are fresh green onions, fried shallots and sautéed red bell peppers, which add some acidity to a sweet dish. Served with the pork are juicy sautéed baby bok choy and sticky jasmine rice topped with meaty portobello mushrooms.
No. 13, Foie Gras au Torchon at Étoile Cuisine et Bar
1101 Uptown Park, 832-668-5808, etoilecuisine.com
At Étoile, chef Philippe Verpiand makes the torchon himself, trimming, seasoning, wrapping, simmering, then compressing and chilling the fatty liver into an incredible dish using techniques he learned in France. And oh, is Étoile's foie like soft butter on your tongue! Pink, smooth, creamy and ringed with a thin layer of light-yellow fat.
No. 12, Curry Noodle Soup at Mamak Malaysian Restaurant
9889 Bellaire, 713-776-2388
This soup is anchored by a yellow curry broth that's sweet thanks to the coconut milk base and spicy from the mixture of lemongrass, coriander, cumin, ginger, citrus and yellow chiles, all of which are enhanced by a splash of salty fish sauce. It's swimming with thick, chewy noodles; chunks of fluffy fried tofu; slivers of soft eggplant; green bell peppers stuffed with ground pork; and crispy tofu skins.
No. 11, Grilled Fish Masala at Himalaya Restaurant
6652 Southwest Freeway, 713-532-2837, himalayarestauranthouston.com
The masala sauce on the two very large filets of fish is not the traditional creamy masala sauce of your British-Indian chicken tikka masala. It's chunkier and heavy with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and a generous dose of ginger and cayenne. Were there not so much fish hidden beneath the reddish layer of chopped vegetables and spices, it would be hard to discern the fishy flavor, but the portions are large and the mild fish pairs well with the exceedingly spicy sauce.
No. 10, Seafood Gumbo at Danton's Gulf Coast Seafood Kitchen
4611 Montrose, 713-807-8883, dantonsseafood.com
What makes the gumbo at Danton's the best in town is the roux. Chef Danton Nix takes the time to let his roux get to a good, dark, smoky brown before adding in vegetables, shrimp, crab and whole oysters. It's velvety smooth, spicy and full of salty seafood flavor.
No. 9, Uni Chawanmushi at Kata Robata
3600 Kirby, Suite H, 713-526-8858, katarobata.com
Digging in gently, you'll discover additions to this chawanmushi that elevate it beyond a traditional egg custard. Beneath the top layer of uni, custard and strips of shiitake mushrooms lie shrimp, chicken thigh meat and distinctive bright-yellow ginkgo nuts. In spite of the fact that the uni is merely resting on top, the briny, slightly sweet ocean sensibility of the sea urchin invades the entire dish.
No. 8, Pickled Butternut Squash Salad at Coltivare
3320 White Oak, 713-637-4095, coltivarehouston.com
Available seaonally.
Pickling butternut squash brings out its natural flavors in an incredible way. Paired with the strips of the squash are a few halves of roasted, lightly browned brussels sprouts; whole walnuts; buttery homemade croutons; balsamic shallots; and a drizzle of a balsamic vinegar reduction that creates a savory umami that lingers in your mouth.
No. 7, Chilorio at Pico's Mex-Mex
3601 Kirby, 832-831-9940, picos.net
The chilorio at Pico's starts with pork butt that's been slow-cooked for hours to produce maximum tenderness. Then the spices come in — cumin; oregano; garlic; and dark, smoky ancho chiles. They're blended into a purée, then stewed with the pulled pork until the meat has taken on a ruddy color and completely absorbed the flavors. The result is a dish that's got enough heat to provide a tickling burn in the back of your mouth, but the flavor of the pork still comes through.
No. 6, Aji de Gallina at Latin Bites
5709 Woodway, 713-229-8369, latinbitescafe.com
To prepare aji de gallina, tender, shredded chicken is boiled in water spiced with bay leaves and peppercorns, then simmered in a peanut cream sauce for several minutes until the flavors of the aji amarillo and rich, nutty peanuts permeate the meat. The final product is a lovely golden-yellow dish reminiscent of Grandma's chicken pot pie...if your grandmother had been an adorable old Peruvian woman.
No. 5, Brisket at Killen's BBQ
3613 East Broadway, Pearland, 281-485-2272, killensbarbecue.com
The brisket comes out of the smoker with a charred black crust. Beneath the layer of char and seasoning is a bright pink ring of meat that fades into a more subdued pink marbled with veins of whitish fat that, rather than being chewy, very literally melt in your mouth. The brisket is incredibly smoky, the flavor permeating the entire cut of meat and the juices so entirely that I always find myself forgetting to squirt any sauce on my already moist brisket.
No. 4, XI Madame at Eleven XI
607 West Gray, 713-529-5881, elevenxihouston.com
The first layer in this dish, also known as "Seven Layers of Heaven," is a thin slice of buttered and toasted challah, simple and slightly sweet. Atop that, the meat begins piling up — Prosciutto di Parma, speck, soppressata and smoked duck breast. In between, more challah, and on the very top, a thick layer of creamy Manchego béchamel sauce and a tremulous fried egg that spills over the edges of the bread.
No. 3, Hamachi Nabe at Uchi
904 Westheimer, 713-522-4808, uchirestaurants.com/houston
The process of serving, then eating the hamachi nabe at Uchi is akin to a theatrical production. It will arrive in a ceramic dish so hot you dare not touch it. A server will take a small ramekin of hamachi sauce and pour it into the hot bowl, stirring it and a raw egg around until everything is cooked and incorporated into one big mess of rice and fish and bonito. The result is a dish that tastes strongly of soy, dashi, shallots and sesame oil, with large chunks of hamachi and soy-coated rice taking on the strong, briny flavor of delicate pink bonito flakes.
No. 2, Bone Marrow Pho at Pho Binh by Night
12148 Bellaire, 832-351-2464, phobinh.com/by-night
There's no such thing as bad pho at any of the Pho Binh locations, but the best and richest dish is definitely the bone marrow pho, served as a side order along with any other bowl of soup. Order your favorite type of pho, then relish the fatty globs of marrow that you spoon into it, exponentially increasing the soup's usually subtle meaty flavor. Bone marrow adds a creaminess and nuttiness to the already dynamic dish, taking the lusciousness (and deliciousness) level off the charts.
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No. 1, Pastiera di Mare con Granchio e Gamberi at Ciao Bello
5161 San Felipe, 713-960-0333, ciaobellohouston.com
Soufflés can be wicked beasts, but Ciao Bello's executive chef, Bobby Matos, prepares the most heavenly dish in Houston in the style of a soufflé known in Italy as a pastiera. Part soufflé, part cake, and all decadence, it's a light-as-air blend of shrimp and crabmeat with whipped mascarpone and a delicate drizzle of spicy pesto. "Seafood cloud" is how I described it upon first tasting the masterpiece, and even months after my initial encounter with the dish, it remains in my mind as the best thing I've eaten all year.
Want to see more of this year's 100 Favorite Dishes? Check out our slideshow, "100 Favorite Dishes in Houston 2014: The List in Photos."


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If you're missing your military man or woman this holiday season, or if you're lucky enough to welcome one back for a break, or if you're a veteran yourself and love puzzling, we've got some great puzzles honoring the brave people that defend our country from Sunsout. Some depict the military in the past (for those of you that are history buffs as well), and some are more current. All are a great way to celebrate our soldiers!
One thought on "Puzzles for Veterans"
Linda Doss
May 5, 2016 9:45
Looking for a puzzle titled We are veterans…with several vets depicted, very large

subset: commoncrawl


text: Clear Creek Furniture has a large variety of file cabinets to furnish your office. These wooden file cabinets come in your choice of wood and stain. Style choices include: lateral file cabinets, 2 drawer, 3 drawer, 4 drawer file cabinets, oak file cabinets and much more. See our office furniture choices at our Waynesville, Ohio furniture store, or browse online.


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Learning to say the "M" word
When I was growing up, life was predictable. It was more standardized. People didn't question traditions, no matter how stupid some of them might be.
Back then, people graduated from high school, got a job, joined the military, or went to college. Women who weren't married by the time they turned 23 were considered homely, and men who weren't married by the time they reached their mid to late twenties were highly suspect. Of what, I'm not sure, but they were viewed with a critical eye.
If a married couple didn't buy a house and have children within the first five years of marriage, something was "just not right." That's the way it was, no questions asked.
Not any more. And this is a good thing. Sometimes the world needs a little shaking up. My generation set milestones in the shaking up department.
First we changed music and made rock 'n' roll the most dominating genre since the invention of sound. We redefined the scope of the words "freedom" and "rights." We took "free love" out of the closet, and we dared to question authority, religion, and morality. We definitely had a "youth movement" going for quite a while.
Not that everything we did was good. The youth movement had a few, shall we say, residual effects. Nonetheless, it did open the doors for experimentation. Doors that had been closed for . . . Hmmm . . . centuries.
For instance, nobody ever lived alone unless he or she was widowed. Only old people lived alone. A bachelor pad was generally an apartment or house occupied by a couple of single men who were looking for spouses.
Most single women lived at home, or shared a home with several other women. A new trend had started that people take for granted today. Many people chose to live alone. That also had some residual effects. People started marrying later in life, or elected not to marry at all.
For a while, marriage was on a serious decline. And it wasn't because of "free love" and so many couples living together. Many people discovered the joys of living alone — particularly men.
A man would graduate from high school or college, get a job, find a house or an apartment and experience living alone for the first time in his life. Here, in the sanctity of his own castle, he was free to break all of the taboos that had been programmed into his little male brain since he was born. He could finally question the rules in his life that were in direct opposition to his natural instincts.
He could eat all the ice cream he wanted, right out of the container and nobody was there to say a word about it. That alone made men wonder about the mental stability of their mothers, who made them put ice cream in a bowl.
They weren't sharing it with anybody. It was their ice cream. Why couldn't they just eat it and throw the carton away? No muss, no fuss. No need to dirty a bowl. It just didn't make sense.
Then these same men would come home from work and start removing clothing as soon as they stepped through the door. By the time they got to the living room, they were in their underwear, comfortable, sitting in front of the television in their favorite chair. And nobody said a word.
If women did this, most men would be absolutely delighted, they thought. So why did the practice annoy them so much? It was puzzling.
The residual effect on society was that men liked living alone. Mommy or some other woman was no longer interfering with their instincts. They could wash their hands and faces in the big kitchen sink with impunity. They could belch and drink beer and yell at the television during football games, and nobody would criticize them.
Women across the country were questioning daughters when they came home from dates. "Is that man of yours ever going to ask you to marry him?" they would ask.
"I don't know, Mom," the girls would say. "I think he's trying, but he just gets as far as — Will you mm m- . . Then he just stops. Sometimes he says m-m-mu-muuu. I think he might be asking me to moo. I'm not sure."
Learning to say the "M" word is not easy when you live in a system you can't understand.


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15 U.S. Code § 1269 - Regulations
The authority to promulgate regulations for the efficient enforcement of this chapter, except as otherwise provided in this section, is vested in the Commission.
The Secretary of the Treasury and the Commission shall jointly prescribe regulations for the efficient enforcement of the provisions of section 1273 of this title, except as otherwise provided therein. Such regulations shall be promulgated in such manner and take effect at such time, after due notice, as the Commission shall determine.
2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–314, § 204(b)(4)(B), substituted "Commission" for "Secretary".
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–314, § 204(b)(4)(E), substituted "Commission" for "Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare" in two places.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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TASTING NOTES: Sha-Zam! Seriously, I nailed it and I am thrilled. I loved the tomato sauce, which was bright and fresh tasting. The sauce was flavorful and mild, with a gentle heat of the jalapeno. I had to add just a bit more salt, but the cumin was subtle and just right. I am not a fan of any canned enchilada sauce that I've ever tried. I find that it's got an overwhelming flavor of chili powder that I just don't care for. I'm working on perfecting my own homemade enchilada sauce. However, I still prefer Entomatadas, any day, because I love the flavor of tomato. The gooey cheese, and onions are very much like my Tex Mex Chili Gravy enchiladas-- except a much more pronounced tomato. I guess the theme here is TOMATO!
I had plenty of leftover sauce, since I only made two casserole servings. The very next day, I made the rest of the Entomadas and polished off the sauce. I loved it just as much. My husband loved them, too. This is a great vegetarian meal, to boot.
If you love Mexican food, I hope you try this authentic Mexican dish. It might be a bit obscure, but it's a gem of a dish. Trust me!
Here's the recipe:


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A week ago, Yeni Gonzalez was in an immigration detention center in Arizona more than 2,000 miles from her children.
On Tuesday, the 29-year-old stood outside the social services agency in New York City where she had just seen her kids for the first time in 45 days, clutching a blue and white lollipop in her hand.
"I feel very happy because I just saw my children, and my daughter gave me that lollipop," Gonzalez said in Spanish.
The laws of planetary motion were first described by a 17th-century German scientist, Johannes Kepler.
Let's go now to northern Thailand. Reporter Michael Sullivan is in Chiang Rai, and he's joining us now via Skype. Hey there.
MICHAEL SULLIVAN, BYLINE: Hi.
Under the deal, migrants registered in other European Union countries will be held in transit centers as Germany negotiates their return. The country's rebellious interior minister had threatened to quit and pull his party from Angela Merkel's coalition government if the German chancellor did not take a harder line on asylum seekers.
Thank you to all of the participants and volunteers who supported the recently concluded Pioneer Century. As has often been stated, the Pioneer is and continues to be a prideful event for the Portland Wheelmen family. Individuals come together to fulfill a common goal of presenting one of the more enjoyable and satisfying event rides in the region. Our volunteers give of their time, expertise, and more than a wee bit of sweat equity. By all observations it was a safe day, a satisfying day. A more comprehensive post event report will appear in the upcoming Quick Releases, but for now, we step aside and yield the stage to all things STP. Once again, our sincerest thanks for supporting the Pioneer. Lastly, our event photographer, Rohith Gunawardena, along with "that Hammer guy,"cobbled together some
Leather Statement Clutch Pansie by VIDA VIDA iMrIJJ
which shine a light upon this recurring 1st Saturday in June cycling event.
Brian Hammer, Event Coordinator
The Pioneer Century is named to reflect the history of the Champoeg, Canby, and Molalla areas. The ride starts from the Clackamas County Fairgrounds – 694 NE 4th Avenue, Canby, Oregon.Rich farmland and timber brought the pioneers to this area and this same beauty draws cyclists today. The Pioneer Century offers great routes whether you seek a social ride or personal best.LUNCH OPTION
Thrive Sauce and Bowls will be in attendance and offering a number of select and flavorful menu items at the 2018 Pioneer!
Hours of service are 12:30pm – 3:30pm. Service type is "Vending style" where meals are purchased direct from Thrive ( unless , you purchase our "Bundle and Save" (ride admission, event jersey, and Thrive meal ticket) via our 2018 Pioneer Century Eventbrite page. After your meal, peruse the various booths at the fairgrounds including Friends of Historic Columbia River Hwy,St. Josef's Winery Beer Garden, and other vendors.
Kale Caesar Salad will also be offered at $5 for half and $7 for full ( ) .
A testimonial from one of our 2017 Pioneer Century riders:
"I finished the Sawtell metric century yesterday. I went for it, after all that complaining and procrastinating. Naw. Just wanted to tell you I did it, thanks for the support and communication about it all. I'm proud, tired and sore, and looking forward to my next ride.PS I sure was impressed with the organization of the ride and the great route markings. Take care. Maybe see you down the road."2018 SPONSORS:
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Diaper Bag Marc Jacobs 72zz8
By Fred SchulteFred Schulte
One of thelargestpain management groupsin the Southeast is closing multiple clinics amid worsening financial troubles and a federal criminal investigation that targeted its former chief executive.
This week, Tennessee-based Comprehensive Pain Specialists advised patients and employees about clinic closures, leaving patients scrambling to find new doctors willing to prescribe them opioids, according to a
Beanie Red Lyle amp; Scott t2Qaq
on WSMV television.
Based in the Nashville area, CPS opened in 2005 and quickly grew into a powerhouse, which has treated as many as 48,000 pain patients a month, at more than 50 clinics in Tennessee and other states.
CPS did not respond to numerous requests for comment.
The doctor-owned company has endured a series of recent setbacks, including earlier clinic closures, pending lawsuits over alleged debts and the criminal case against former CEO John Davis.
In April, a federal grand jury in Tennessee indicted Davis on criminal kickback charges. He has pleaded not guilty. CPS also has faced nearly a dozen civil lawsuits from contractors alleging unpaid debts, including suits brought by two of its former doctors. A Justice Department official said the closure was not related to the criminal case against Davis.
Subscribe to KHN's free Morning Briefing.
The shutdown of the clinics comes amid growing backlash against the use of opioids for treating chronic pain. The opioid crisis has cost the U.S. economy more than
70X200 Lipstick Stole in Candy Pink Silk Mousseline Valentino I1oOWz
since 2001, estimates Altarum, an economic research firm. Since 1999, at least 200,000 people have died nationwide from overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the company's website, CPS now operates 40 clinics in eight states: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio and Tennessee. Half are in Tennessee.
The Tennessean
Grace Leather Shoulder Bag White Miu Miu B4Vr3
Tuesday that all 21 clinics in the state would be closing by the end of the month.
The Big Design Market brings together the best independent Australian and international design for 3 huge days of Christmas shopping. With creative workshops, gourmet food and craft beer, our exclusive designer showbags and free kids activities, this is a truly unmissable event!
Melbourne 30 Nov–2 Dec 2018 / Royal Exhibition Building, Carlton
Sydney 7–9 Dec 2018 / Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park
Hours Fri 10am–9pm (Syd 8pm) / Sat 10am–7pm / Sun 10am–5pm
Admission Adults $2 / Free for kids 12 and under


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The PhD in Humanities degree program is designed primarily for individuals who wish to conduct advanced research and to teach at the college level, but it is open to qualified candidates who wish to enhance fully their knowledge and skills.
The program provides students with a flexible, interdisciplinary context within which to pursue their studies, built on connections among specific courses and areas of interest. Each student plans an individual program of studies in consultation with an assigned advisor.
Students may concentrate within one of the three main areas of study:
All students must take two seminars in each of these three main areas of study.
School: School of Arts and Humanities
Program: Humanities
Catalog page: PhD
Degree requirements: Bachelor's or master's degree in arts and humanities fields
GPA: 3.3 (especially in upper-division undergraduate and graduate work)
Letters of recommendation: 3
Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from individuals who can judge the candidate's probability of success in graduate school. Use the electronic request form in the graduate application to submit the letters. Contact the graduate academic program department if you have any questions.
Admissions essay required: Yes
Deadlines: University deadlines apply.
Pia K. Jakobsson (PhD-Humanities)
800 W. Campbell Road JO31
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Office: JO 4.128
Alice Presti
800 W. Campbell Road JO31
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Office: JO 4.510
Professor; Teacher and Researcher
See Bureau of Labor Statistics for detailed salary information on these careers. Another great resource is the Occupational Outlook Handbook.


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Carolinanet.com Best Value Web Hosting
We at Carolinanet are committed to providing excellent server colocation, managed servers, and web site hosting, web site development services and at competitive prices. Our core business provides web hosting and colocation services to businesses and private individuals around the globe. We have clients in the UK, Europe, and the USA. We specialize in providing flexible, high capacity, low cost dedicated server facilities for hosting companies and ISP's and also provide business class hosting services to companies and individuals.
Google Apps for Work Hosted Email Service
Are you in need of a hosted e-mail service for the cloud? When this is the case, you may wish to switch from exchange hosting to Google Apps for Work. Here you can get your e-mail and calendar all in one place making it easy to stay on top of the important things in life. Business-class email, contacts and calendars without the overhead and complexity of Microsoft Exchange. Google Apps for Work is a cloud-based productivity suite that provides the tools and accessibility employees need, and business leaders love. Featuring Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, and many more modules seen below, over 5 million businesses have "Gone Google" to enable employees to work the way they live. Google Drive for Work is now the most popular option for new customers and is only $5/user/month.
Digital Phone Service is available Rock Hill, Columbia, Charleston, Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina and numbers available nationwide in more than 6,500 rate centers. We have specialist in these markets available to discuss your specific need today. Please call us in Rock Hill, South Carolina at (704) 200-9900.


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Some of this information from kuroboxwiki:Brick
In the context of LinkStation hacking to brick a LinkStation means to render the LinkStation unusable. A bricked LinkStation does not boot any more, does not respond to requests (e.g. for serving data via Samba), enters EM Mode, and/or does cyclic reboots.
Effectively, the LinkStation is just a brick, which can only be used as a door stopper.
Improper Flash
There have been cases of users writing uploading an incompatible flash image. Please be sure of what you are doing, and be very careful when attempting to modify the contents of the flash memory.
It regularly happens that an LS is diagnosed as bricked, when it isn't. The most common error is to not follow the flashing or installation instructions and still leave some software firewall in place during install.
Fixing a Bricked LS
Re-animating a bricked LS depends on what whent wrong or what was done wrong. Sometimes re-flashing the original or a hacked firmware & OS can help (see Articles/GeneralFirmwareFlash, Articles/GeneralManualFlash. Sometimes it is necessary to physically open the LS, connect the disk to a PC and re-image the drive. See Articles/GeneralRescueGuide for instructions.
Linkstations/Kuroboxes that have been bricked due to bad flash memory contents can be restored by rewriting the flash memory with the correct contents. However, since the device can not be booted, this requires the use of JTAG.


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Does Your Vote Count? Yes, in Many Ways
We're always hearing the phrase, "If you want to change something, get involved." Nothing could be truer when it comes to politics. If you are content with standing on the sidelines waiting for others to effect change, then you'll be sorely disappointed with the outcome.
It's just a few short weeks before the next Presidential election. For many young CPAs who are reading this article, it's quite likely this is only the second Presidential election you've been able to vote in since you turned 18. This is a unique opportunity to voice your opinion by casting your vote.
Sounds great, but young professionals need to know that one vote every four years is only a tiny part of the entire political process. There are countless other ways to get involved in politics and many other causes. The bottom line is trying to make a difference, and whether that occurs with your vote or in some other capacity, you are playing a vital role in your future and your communities future
Jeff Koenig, CPA, is a senior Tax associate with PKF Texas in Houston and a regular contributor to the AICPA's Young CPA Network blog. He readily admits that the last thing someone of his generation wants is another "biased, opinionated, back-seat driving, grandstand-screaming political article."
"The truth is that most young professionals do not have the time or energy to become fully immersed in the political process," he says. "We rely on news outlets, online newspapers, opinions posted or tweeted by friends and colleagues, and hundreds of other sources to keep us connected with today's issues. However, if you strip politics down, the waters begin to clear. Young professionals are more in tune and connected with politics than ever before and, through some basic foundational guidelines, we can transform this knowledge into powerful results."
It's Jeff's mission to encourage young CPAs at his firm to find ways to get involved, and one way he does this is by providing some relevant examples of local activities.
For example, many young professionals who are recent homeowners are fully aware of the taxes they pay to public school districts and homeowners associations.
"The ideas and opinions expressed in homeowners associations or school board meetings will often have more impact on the lives of young professionals than, to use an often debated national topic, America's long-term foreign policy," says Jeff. "By no means is one issue greater than the other, but the crucial concept remains. Politics are not a far-off set of ideals. They happen, sometimes quite literally, in our own backyard."
Not everyone lives in a major urban city such as Houston and readily apparent ways to voice your opinion may not be right in front of you. In fact, unless you have a close friend who is involved in some kind of cause or effort, you may not even know how to get started. Here are some tips on where and how you can get involved in politics or any other kind of cause.
Search Social Media. Finding local causes, political races, school boards and other outlets may be as close as your own keyboard. "Virtually every Federal, state and city politician has a Facebook page and Twitter account," says Jeff.
Pick Your Passion. Before you decide where to get involved, you have to figure out how you want to spend your time. In addition to politics, there are charity events, nonprofit organizations and other worthy endeavors very deserving of anyone's volunteer efforts, and if possible, monetary support. Ask your friends and colleagues for advice on how they spend their time, or tune your radar into local online and print media that cover various causes.
Don't Overcommit. There's nothing worse than a volunteer who commits to doing something and then doesn't follow through. In fact, it's better if you say "no" up front than agreeing to something you'll have no time to complete. If you want to get involved in something and are unsure about the time you'll spend, ask the organization or candidate for a time estimate or simply suggest how much time you can offer. Take the assignment in chunks with attainable goals.
"Undoubtedly, we have all the tools and knowledge necessary to do anything we aspire to do in our communities, cities, states and country," says Jeff. "The key is the navigational process that cuts us away from the rhetoric and stalemates that dominate the headlines and transfers us back to the roots of democratic involvement. Along the way, you may discover that politics' may not be such dirty word after all!"


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[Note: The full text PDF of this article is available at no charge HERE. Giardia is an intestinal protozoan found in natural waterways that sometimes contaminates public water supplies, as it did in the major Bergen outbreak of 2004. The ability to follow the health status of a group of people with well-documented history of giardia infection has highlighted the possibility of post-infective GI disease and CFS & allows analysis of associated factors.]
Background: A Giardia outbreak was associated with development of post-infectious functional gastrointestinal disorders (PI-FGID) and chronic fatigue syndrome (PI-CFS). Markers of immune dysfunction have given conflicting results in CFS and FGID patient populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate a wide selection of markers of immune dysfunction in these two co-occurring post-infectious syndromes.
Methods: 48 patients, reporting chronic fatigue in a questionnaire study, were clinically evaluated five years after the outbreak and grouped according to Fukuda criteria for CFS (n=19) and idiopathic chronic fatigue (n=5) and Rome II criteria for FGIDs (n=54). 22 Giardia exposed non-fatigued individuals and 10 healthy unexposed individuals were recruited as controls. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry.
Results: In peripheral blood we found significantly higher CD8 T-cell levels in PI-FGID, and significantly lower NK-cell levels in PI-CFS patients. Severity of abdominal and fatigue symptoms correlated negatively with NK-cell levels. A tendency towards lower T-cell CD26 expression in FGID was seen.
Conclusion: Patients with PI-CFS and/or PI-FGID 5 years after Giardia lamblia infection showed alterations in NK-cell and CD8-cell populations suggesting a possible immunological abnormality in these conditions. We found no significant changes in other markers examined in this well-defined group of PI-CFS and PI-FGID elicited by a gastrointestinal infection. Controlling for co-morbid conditions is important in evaluation of CFS-biomarkers.
Source: BMC Infectious Diseases, Oct 14 2012;12(1):258. PMID:23061432 Hanevik K, Kristoffersen EK, Sørnes S, Mørch K, Næss H, Rivenes AC, Bødtker JE, Hausken T, Langeland N. University of Bergen; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.


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Mattias Alkberg
Källa: tickster.com
Mattias Alkberg
Textinformationen kommer från last.fms wiki
Mattias Alkberg, born 8 januari 1969, is a swedish musician, songwriter and poet. He is guitarist and vocalistin the indie rock band The Bear Quartet, that released their first album in 1992, the same year as his first poetry collection, Separerade ägg ("Separated eggs"), was published. His swedish language band Mattias Alkberg BD saw success in 2004 when their first album was released. In 2009 he recorded the solo album Nerverna ("The Nerves").
Alkberg has published four poetry collections on Wahlström & Widstrand. He recieved an award from Svenska Akademien in 2004. Alkberg has also contributed as a chronicler and record reviewer in the newspaper Norrbottens-Kuriren.
Alkberg grew up in Tuna in Luleå but currently ...


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* Fed expected to keep buying bonds at $85 bln a month
* Guidelines for keeping rates near zero also to be
* Statement to mask lively debate on when to stop buying
By Alister Bull
* Fed expected to keep buying bonds at $85 bln a month
* Guidelines for keeping rates near zero also to be
* Statement to mask lively debate on when to stop buying
By Alister Bull
WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve is
expected to keep monetary policy on a steady path when it
concludes a two-day meeting on Wednesday, though behind the
scenes intensive debate continues over when the controversial
bond-buying program should be curtailed.
The policy statement issued by the U.S. central bank at the
end of the meeting will likely be only slightly rephrased from
its meeting in December to reflect minor changes in the economic
outlook, notably reduced risks from financial turmoil in Europe
Otherwise, economists say the policy-setting Federal Open
Market Committee will maintain asset buying at $85 billion a
month and retain the commitment to hold interest rates near zero
percent until the unemployment rate falls to 6.5 percent,
provided inflation does not threaten to breach 2.5 percent.
The Fed has taken unprecedented steps to try to spark a
stronger economic recovery and drive down unemployment. It has
kept overnight interest rates near zero since late 2008 and has
launched three rounds of bond purchases, known as quantitative
easing, to drive other borrowing costs down.
Recent data has been consistent with a gradual improvement
in the economy, although the government's monthly labor market
report, to be released on Friday, is expected to show the
jobless rate remained stuck at 7.8 percent in January.
"The FOMC is expected to tweak the description of the state
of the economy but announce no new policy measures," Morgan
Stanley economist David Greenlaw wrote in a note to clients.
The Fed statement is expected at around 2:15 p.m. (1915
To get a sense of what likely will be a lively discussion on
how the Federal Reserve should communicate about the future of
its current securities purchase program, dubbed QE3, investors
will have to wait three weeks for the release of the meeting's
Critics warn that the bond buying, which has tripled the
Fed's balance sheet to almost $3 trillion since 2008, might
stoke inflation or trigger an asset bubble that could tip the
economy back into recession when it bursts.
Some policymakers advocate adopting set levels of certain
economic variables that would signal when the central bank
thinks the time is ripe to stop the purchases, much like the
"thresholds" it has adopted to help guide the market's
understanding of when interest rates are finally likely to rise.
An unexpected halt in the buying, which accounts for a
considerable part of the demand for U.S. Treasury debt, could
send long-term borrowing costs shooting up and damage the
The president of the Boston Federal Reserve Bank, Eric
Rosengren, has led the charge for bond-buying thresholds,
arguing the central bank should continue the purchases until
unemployment falls under 7.25 percent.
Other officials think differently, and it may take months to
build a consensus -- if one can even be built.
Since September, when it launched QE3, the Fed has said it
would buy bonds until it saw a substantial improvement in the
outlook for the labor market -- a mark many analysts think won't
be reached this year.
More than half of 41 economists polled by Reuters earlier
this month expect purchases to continue into 2014.
"They have to see a substantial improvement in the labor
market, and they don't forecast one this year," said Stephen
Oliner, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute
in Washington.
But minutes of the Fed's December meeting, released early
this month, showed a few policymakers thought the program should
be halted by the mid-2013, surprising financial markets.
As the first meeting of the year, four voting seats on the
policy panel will change hands.
The new voters are Esther George, the Kansas City Fed
president; Boston's Rosengren; James Bullard, the St. Louis Fed
president; and Chicago Fed President Charles Evans.
George is viewed as a clear hawk and the most likely to
dissent against maintaining the bond purchases, while Evans and
Rosengren are expected to vote in favor. Bullard's recent
comments have been hawkish, but he has not sounded sufficiently
uncomfortable with current policy to dissent at this stage.
(Reporting by Alister Bull; Editing by Leslie Adler)


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Test driven and written by Adrian Erdedi for www.AdrianErdedi.com
As I walked out of The Riverview Hotel in Balmain after an amazing lunch, I saw the Peugeot RCZ drive past me on the street, with a halo around it's roof and the scene in slow motion. There was an angel passing me.
One of the most stunning cars I've seen on the road in a long time, I couldn't help but stare and see in real life the car that has been advertised on more billboards, magazines and newspapers then the Mitsubishi 380 when that came out a few years back. Almost impossible to escape.
A mix of the Nissan 370Z, the new Audi TT and I can even see a little bit of the Daihatsu Copen in there. The Peugeot RCZ looks like some extra terrestrial Supercar, powerful, sexy, fast and super luxurious. Till you get in it.
To the Peugeot dealership I went to discover this amazing vehicle and see what all the advertising was all about… Boy was I disappointed.
Exterior – The Great And The Not So Bad.
Approaching this outstanding car, the first thing I find on the exterior to criticise are the exhaust pipes. Two steel exhausts on the left hand side of the car. All the engineering, styling and money that goes into creating such a spectacular looking car, they have done nothing minutely different with the exhaust. Perhaps two on either side, or even one on either side, or in the middle. But I can get over it. The rear is very beautiful, you could almost mistaken it for an Audi TT at a glance. An electronic rear spoiler can be deployed manually or automatically. Once you reach 85 km/h it will raise 19 degrees. Once you reach 155km/h (which I hope you don't?!), it raises up to 34 degrees. It is concealed neatly within the boot lid, but a little flimsy when the boot lid is lifted, the spoiler can be moved around on the sides of the lid.
The smooth and stylish lines are simply delightful. The cabin sits low and sunken in between the 4 wheels. The mirrors are gorgeous, similar to the Citroën C4. There is heaps of glass, the use of glass is phenomenal. Every single panel of this car is simply perfect.
The front of the car had this enormous badge, a massive grille which remind me of a Whale Shark, ready to scoop up and swallow anything in it's way. The badge which and the surrounding grille is made out of plastic, but not even a good plastic. It's flimsy, cheap and tacky. The entire front bumper and grille is completely flimsy – like a cheap little Suzuki Swift.
But the most striking feature of this car is most definately the roof. There is a double-bubble roof, that protrudes from the top of the windscreen, to the back of the roof, then the rear window is moulded to carry the convex bubble through to the base of the window. There are two aluminum arches which stand out in the most blissfully peculiar way – a vision of almost perfection.
Interior – The Not So Good And The Bad.
Pathetic. There is almost nothing in the interior that does this car justice. After having a complete eyegasm with it's utter sex appeal on the outside, getting into the car is one of the biggest anti-climaxes I've ever had.
From the moment I got in, the only thing I could really say is beautiful… Are the front seats. That's it.
The dashboard, the buttons, the stereo, the doors, centre console, the handbrake, the gears, the EVERYTHING looks like it's come straight from a Peugeot 206. Simply boring and dull. There is nothing technologically advanced (specification wise), and nothing anywhere close to reaching the levels of luxury you'd expect when you see it from the outside.
Flimsy plastic climate control knobs. A basic stereo supplied by JBL has adequate sound, but is just a basic looking facia from one of the entry level 206′s – it just has no character. There is an analogue clock, to add a touch of 'class'. Too bad that class was lost when they put the filthy looking numbers all over it. The clock in the Ford Fairlane's (which are now Silver Service cabs in Sydney) from the early 2000′s even looks better!
I also don't like the handbrake. In this day and age, an electric brake would be more suitable for this car, with a simple touch of a button to engage the park-brake. The Peugeot 3008 has it, why doesn't the RCZ?
The biggest thing that got me was the back seat. Ok admittedly you wouldn't really want to take people around, a car packed with 4 people, but in the occasion that you do need to, you may need to remove either their head, or their legs. One or the other. I am 184cm tall, and sitting in the back of this car was simply impossible. Yes there is leg room – but it's the head space. My head was literally laying on my shoulder to one side just so I could fit in. The rear window comes down over the rear seat so much, it cuts off a large portion of the head room. The rear seats are cheap and tacky, just like in the Porsche Carrera's. It's definately a 2 seater car with a parcel shelf – which happens to have 2 seatbelts.
But I need to stop being so negative. I should discuss the great things about the interior.
Back to the front seats – stunning. They are absolutely beautiful, from any angle you look at them. They are embossed with the Peugeot logo. They are sumptuous and supportive.
Oh, there's also a rather large boot which I was quite impressed with, at 384 litres. But how? There is no spare tyre. No, they aren't run-flats either. There is simply no spare type – full size or space saver. You get a little can of glue to patch up a hole long enough to get you to a service station. Ridiculous!
That's it.
Engine & Drive – The Fairly Alright And The Bad.
Using the common style key to start the car was the first of my criticisms. Again, a stunning car which should have technological advancements such as keyless entry and start. Nothing more pleasurable then starting your faux-Supercar with a START/STOP button if you ask me.
But that aside, this is about the engine and the drive.
Handling is sublime. Absolutely excellent as expected. It glues itself to the road. Push it as hard as you can, and still it sticks to the road with each and very little fuss.
The Australian range has three variants. A 6-speed manual 1.6-litre, 147 kW petrol turbo; A 6-speed automatic 1.6 litre, 115kW or the 6-speed manual 2.0 litre Hdi turbo-diesel. They are all fairly good engines, but the way of choosing basically comes down to preference. What you would prefer to drive. It's no super-car. It's no powerhouse of muscle and torque, but it's definately got guts and can definately be pushed without it sounding like it's struggling.
Gear changing is easy and guided – again it comes down to it not being a pure-bred sports car, where you put your heart and soul through the gear stick and drive it the way it was made… This is smooth and guided. It's just a normal road car at the end of the day.
Safety – The Good.
The safety bar has been set high. There are two front airbags as well as two side airbags. Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is by Bosch, ASR, EBD, ABS, EBA and Hill Assist. A heap of letters that mean one thing – crashing this car is pretty damn hard!
An interesting feature is the active bonnet system. It assists with minimising physical impact to pedestrians in case of an accident by raising the bonnet 55mm, avoiding hard contact with engine components.
Likes: Not too many of them. But the obvious one is the exterior styling. Second to none. The front leather seats, both comfort and styling. The leather clad dashboard and stitching. Handling. Drive. Smooth. Clean. Fun. Price.
Dislikes: The entire interior styling. Everything from the centre console lid/armrest to the instrument cluster and the ugly small screen at the top center of the dashboard. Rear seating and head space. The flooring carpet is atrocious – something you'd expect in a 1990 Mitsubishi Nimbus.
Would I buy it? If I could swap the interior for an Audi TT or BMW Z4, and also change the bubble roof from aluminium to glass, I would buy it in a heartbeat. It needs to have a stylish cockpit – with inclusions such as satellite navigation, touch screen functions, a superior branded stereo (like Bose did with Mazda or Bang & Olufsen did with Audi – even Marcel Wanders!).
Price: From $55,000. There is a Special Edition coming out this month with prices starting from $62,490.
Final say: What a stunning car from the outside. The inside is very disappointing. I guess the price of the car coincides with the level of luxury and the technological features. You are basically paying for superb exterior styling with the interior level of a 206, with beautiful front seats.


text:
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Flappy Bird was the surprise hit of 2014, blowing up like no one could imagine. It was a simple game, and very fun too. But reactions turned negative as frustrations over its difficulty grew. This ended up with the developer getting a lot of bad press and hate over absolutely nothing.
See, Flappy Bird did exactly what it was designed to do. It was designed to be simple but challenging, and it did exactly that. It had no in-app purchases, an unintrusive ad, no price, and no serious bugs that could prevent you from playing. It excelled at what it was designed for, yet people didn't get it. It was made to be difficult, like the games of my childhood often were, yet people gave the game flak and even poor reviews for it.
Unfortunately, this ended up getting to the developer far too much, and he decided to take the game off the Play Store and iOS App Store. I understand the guy, as bad press and hate can really mess with your daily life. It's a shame really, as people took the hate way too far. But there's nothing we can do about it but remember Flappy Bird fondly.
Oh, and try not to download Flappy Bird clones on the Play Store. A lot of them are filled with in app purchases and other crap.


text:
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food&family Magazine
12 servings, 1/2 cake each
Read MoreRead Less
Tap or click steps to mark as complete
Serve these rich chocolate cakes at your next celebration with family or friends. A half-cake serving is all that's needed to provide big chocolate flavor!
Batter can be made the day before; pour into prepared custard cups. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate. When ready to serve, uncover and bake as directed.
* Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.


text:
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Green 9" PlatesItem: 203-460
Celebrate in Style
Brighten up any party table with our solid color tableware. The perfect accessory for any table. No matter what your event, we have the color you need!
- 16 plates per package.
- Solid green plates.
- 9″ long and wide.
- Paper plates.
Add something extra to any table, our tableware is just what you are looking for. Something fun and functional for any party. This green tableware is perfect for Graduation parties, Christmas, St. Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras events.


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What high school kid who belongs to a garage band wouldn't jump at the chance to get on stage and show off his or her groups' own special talents? Add to that the competitive nature of this particular scenario and you've got a hot box office business happening before you know it. Not only should the bands play off against each other, but certain ones can get together and perform the same song at the same time for a change of pace during this evening of music. Perhaps the funds earned from this sort of shindig can go to augmenting your school's band program or to individual music lessons given as part of a special curriculum.
A smaller and more modest reenactment of what happens in most communities when warm weather arrives, school carnivals can be as varied as your imagination. Even though big time machinery like ferris wheels need not apply, other interactive trappings like bouncy houses and water slides can definitely be put up as part of the action. In addition, other low tech activities like kissing booths and face painting parlors tend to attract loads of attention to extroverted participants. Shyer fun-seekers can enjoy throwing a few basketballs through specially suspended hoops for the chance to win tickets to prizes donated by community members.
Search out the sartorial talent in your school by holding a fashion event that puts style in your school. Create categories that allow everyone to get in on the action, from pairs of teachers showing their best duds to couples dressed to coordinate their clothing. And don't forget parents who always enjoy modeling with their kids or even each other. Regarding the latter, don't just invite the typical mother/daughter combination but instead, mix it up a bit and have a dad take a catwalk run with his daughter, a mom walk the runway with her son, or all members of the clan strutting their stuff at the same time. Want variation? Try dressing for a day at the beach, an evening at the ballet, or a night at the "Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Make a simple competitive concept into a money-making venture by holding certain challenges that bring on a variety of tantillizing treats to be tasted and, ultimately judged. While one group might battle to take first place in the requisite chili category, another group could fire up some ribs while others could try to take blue-ribbon honors for the best hotdog trimmings. Options are as endless as the foods we love.
Take the fundraiser inside and put up an array of images donated by anyone connected with your school, including the kids, the families, the teachers, and even local professional photographers. Then hold a silent auction to see who will get to go home with their favorite photos. Meanwhile, to liven things up, hold a digital contest where pictures are taken by phones and cameras during the event where photo bombing is invited. Then, at a certain hour, judging can take place by putting the photographic candidates up on a screen for all to scrutinize. The winner, decided by which shot gets the best reaction, wins bragging rights and a printed copy of the very image that caused all the hoopla in the first place.
Getting physical on the school track is always good for the body and sou, but this endeavor can also be good for the fundraising pocketbook. Why not try a twist on a known entity? Throw a pajama run/walk that starts before dawn and ends just after the sun rises with a hearty breakfast enjoyed in the school cafeteria. Or how about a zombie crawl (literally) that has everyone starting in the direction of their choosing so the phrase "running into one another" ends up having new purpose? There are plenty of ways to ramp up the competition by putting a spin on the typical walk/run, especially if entry fees go to a cause near and dear to the heart.
Not only does the school play or musical have a limited run, but often the production needs more money to plan for next year's offering. Select one scene or song-and-dance number from the current year's effort and take it to the boards again as the basis for a fundraiser. To make this special event even more colorful, use the same stage as a way to show off different student, teacher, and parent talents. So, whether that person is a closeted comedian or he or she is a singer who uses the bathroom as the designated place to practice, you'll discover that America does have talent in a whole lot of unexpected ways.
Hold off on those video games for an evening and instead, get back to old school days when everyone loved to get together for board games. Simply set up an admission booth and then spread out in the gymnasium to spend quality time with faculty and friends by competing on a very basic level. Is Monopoly your game? Go for it. How about checkers? Set 'em up. Want to take part in a serious round or two of chess? No problem. Whoever wins after a set time in each game category wins the night and the right to imperiously hold that championship over the heads of everyone who participated.
Los Angeles freelance travel writer Jane Lasky, contributes to publications such as Travel + Leisure, Vogue and Esquire. Her weekly sojourning column ran in 40 newspapers for 20 years. Jane is anything but an accidental tourist. Check out her articles on Examiner.com.